BREAKING: Ericsson launches global patent enforcement campaign against PAX: sues in UPC, Brazil, Colombia

Context:

• Several of the leading standard-essential patent (SEP) owners have recently expanded their licensing efforts into new verticals in the IoT space, where markets such as the one for point-of-sale (POS) terminals have proven fruitful. Earlier this year, Sisvel announced the launch of a POS patent pool covering the 2G to 5G cellular telecommunications standards with three licensors already onboard (Huawei, Nokia, and LG Electronics: April 1, 2026 ip fray article).
• One licensor that has been successful in striking license deals in this space is Nokia (both in the West, such as with Verifone: August 14, 2024 LinkedIn post by ip fray, and in China, with leading Chinese manufacturer of payment terminals PAX (September 23, 2024 ip fray article).

What’s new: Ericsson has sued PAX in the UPC’s Hague Local Division (LD) (UPC-CFI-0003691/2026, UPC-CFI-0003692/2026, and UPC-CFI-0003693/2026), a court in Rio de Janeiro (Case No. 3216697-48.226.8.19.0001), and both the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (Case Nos. 26-436452, 26-436502, 26-436444, and 26-436493) and the Civil Circuit Courts of Bogata (11001310303520260057500, 11001310304320260056400, 11001310305720260056100, 1100131030162026005260, 11001310301820260061900, 11001310303020260060000, and 11001310303020260059900) in Colombia over the alleged infringement of several of its patents.

Direct impact: This is not the first time Ericsson has asserted its patents in the POS market. In February, it sued Verifone in both the UPC’s Mannheim Local Division (LD) and the Hague LD, asserting a cellular SEP and additionally asking the court for a declaration of FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory licensing) compliance (February 20, 2026 ip fray article). But the dispute was settled very quickly (within five months: July 7, 2026 Roy Maharaj LinkedIn post).

Wider ramifications: While Ericsson is one of the top filers of patent infringement suits in the UPC, this case also underlines its increasing confidence in the Brazilian courts. Generally, there has been a recent shift in currency from urgency-based preliminary injunctions (PIs) to those based on the merits, known in Brazilian procedure as a tutela de evidência. While those based on the merits can take up to six months to come through, they are being enforced more regularly than time-based PIs. The latest PI issued in Brazil was announced yesterday by InterDigital (against TCL October 27, 2026 ip fray article) over two of its patents related to HEVC technology. This year alone, the following cases also saw PIs being issued in Brazil: JVC Kenwood v. Hisense (February 6, 2026 ip fray article), NEC v. HMD (February 9, 2026 ip fray article), IP Bridge v. Geely (March 25, 2026 ip fray article), InterDigital v. Transsion (April 1, 2026 ip fray article), and IBEX v. Disney (September 10, 2026 ip fray article).